El Brujo Archaeological Complex (Lady of Cao)
Complejo Arqueológico El Brujo, Museo de Cao
A Moche temple complex where the mummy of the tattooed female ruler known as the “Lady of Cao” was unearthed. The Cao Museum on site displays the original mummy.
El Brujo is located on the coast of the Chicama Valley, about 60 km northwest of Trujillo. Its core is the Moche temple Huaca Cao Viejo, whose walls bear colorful processions of captives and reliefs of the “Decapitator God.” In 2006, the mummy of a female ruler about 1,700 years old, known as the “Lady of Cao,” was discovered here. Her arms are covered with snake and spider tattoos, and she was buried with a crown and weapons, overturning the belief that only men held power in Moche society. The Cao Museum beside the site displays the original mummy. Visitors need to hire a car or join a tour, and the drive takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Opening hours
09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Huanchaco
- Puerto Chicama (Malabrigo)
- Chan Chan Site Museum
- Huaca del Dragón (Huaca Arco Iris)
- Chan Chan (Nik An Palace)
- Huaca Esmeralda
- Trujillo Cathedral
- Casa Ganoza Chopitea